Mulago National Referral Hospital, Makerere University and Duke University Medical Center seek a Planning Award to establish a research training program in stroke and stroke prevention. This Planning Award proposal is the result of an evolving relationship between these 3 institutions, and reflects shared priorities in stroke related research. The Planning Award will support meetings of the leadership from each partnering institution in Kampala, Uganda and Durham, North Carolina to identify common research goals and the means to accomplish them, and to better understand research infrastructure and training opportunities. A Ugandan trainee will be selected to receive short-term research training at Duke and design a research proposal that will provide preliminary data on stroke and stroke-related risk factors at Mulago National Referral Hospital. The robust academic community of Makerere University will provide ample access to trainees, and the expertise of the Makerere University School of Public Health will provide a supportive home for the returning trainee. Given the apparent increases in risk factors associated with stroke among sub-Saharan populations and the need for more complete data for the region, the numbers of persons receiving stroke-related health care at Mulago National Referral Hospital, the prominence of Makerere University in training East African leaders in health care delivery and research, and Duke University Medical Center's expertise in stroke prevention and management, there is an outstanding opportunity for this formidable team to develop a research training program in stroke. The ultimate goal is to prepare a successful full training award application for the September 2010 submission deadline. PUBLI HEALTH RELEVANCE: This award will offer Mulago National Referral Hospital and Makerere University the opportunity to plan and develop research training in collaboration with Duke University Medical Center to address the serious issue of cerebrovascular disease, as an example of the growing burden of chronic non-communicable diseases In East Africa.